So...if anyone is following me as an author and not just my stories, by now you will realize I am finishing off my stories one at a time. Not that at this point any of them have made it to the internet that is, but they will. Hopefully today I can post all of what I have done. Because I finally have internet access again, yay!

Chapter 27 : Bleed It Out

Renji was back at his desk after receiving his clean bill of health. He didn't quite know what to do with himself though. Byakuya had already finished the paperwork for the day. He didn't explain why he wouldn't allow Renji to help, he'd just done it. And then, looking reluctant, "I am aware you have... a thing with Rukia. Am I correct?" he said it in that I'll-know-if-you-are-lying tone of his. Wondering why, in the middle of all of this, that Byakuya had chosen this moment to bring it up, Renji nods solemnly.

"I've cared for Rukia our entire lives, sir." Renji said. He made sure to sound strong, confident. Byakuya would never accept him if he believed that Renji would fall short in taking care of her. But Byakuya didn't seem to care about how Renji made his statement. He seemed...deflated. Renji's mind flashed back to the strange moment with the butterfly when his fever had first started. He jumped from his desk. "Tell me it isn't true!" he shouted.

"I received word that Rukia is infected. She snapped this morning. Ukitake has her in his strongest cell. Ukitake is aware of your recovery. He says he has hopes that she too will recover." It explained Byakuya's behavior. Once again he was breaking his promise to his late wife. But this time, it wasn't his fault. Renji told him as much. Byakuya shot Renji a glare. It mattered not. Rukia was still dying and he couldn't save her. Renji left the office.

Byakuya watched Renji leave. It wasn't that he cared about the redhead, or that he hated him either. No, the reason he'd told Renji about Rukia being ill, is because he knew that somehow, if anyone could save her, unfortunately it was him. Not that Renji could leave this division. He'd also told him, because he knew Rukia would have wanted him to. The sun starts to fall on the horizon as Byakuya looks out his window. A butterfly enters through his window. The message it gives... Byakuya stands from his desk, straps on his Zanpakuto and dashes after Renji. Rukia was free. One of them had to stop her. The last part of the message was a saving grace, but could come too late for them. Orihime was in the Soul Society.

Renji heard rapid footsteps and turned in time to see Rukia dashing towards him blade drawn. Surprised, Renji barely had time to fumble with the sheathe of Zabimaru, and only just managed to block her. She leapt away from him and came back and this time Renji was able to fully block her. Her forced her back, while parrying every blow she aimed at him. A few minutes later, and Renji felt another reiatsu hurtling toward him. He nearly panicked, thinking it was another infected. After all, Rukia was the second one to come after him. But Renji simply sighed in relief, when he saw orange. Ichigo slid to a stop next to Renji. Rukia was glancing back and forth between them, sizing up her target and the latest challenge. "We just have to get her contained until Orihime gets here." Ichigo told him.

"Easier said than done. Once they snap you can only fight them. And if they bleed on you, you're done for. You'll be infected too." Renji said. Ichigo gave him a look. "I've already been infected. I'm the first and only one whose survived. I don't know how I did it, but we have to make Rukia break through too. If we do manage to actually capture her, she'll die. They always do. You put a stop to their fight, and their brain melts."

"But she was already captured whenever we crash landed on her cell," Ichigo said. Renji glared at him.

"It comes in stages you idiot." their conversation stopped for a moment, while Rukia attacked, aiming only for Renji. She was horribly open to attack from behind, but she didn't seem to care to defend herself from Ichigo. Which seemed to surprise the substitute. "First stage is escape!" Renji exclaimes, forcing Rukia away from him. "Second is kill!" He blocks an attack. "Third is death. And the entire time, its the voice of your Zanpakuto telling you to do these things!" he continues to block all of Rukia's attacks. Ichigo looks shocked.

"Is it like what happened with Muramasa?" he asks. Renji just shakes his head. The two sense another reiatsu. This one is easily recognized as Byakuya. Ichigo turns toward him, sword at the ready.

"He's not infected, but get him out of here! We can't lose any Captains!" Renji shouts, then returning his focus to Rukia. Byakuya arrives at the battle. Ichigo puts away his sword and runs forward to meet him.

"Get out of my way substitute." Byakuya says, his blade drawn. Ichigo grabs Byakuya's wrist.

"Renji and I can handle this. But keeping you from getting infected is going to distract Renji. And it seems like Renji is Rukia's sole target. One slip-up and your Lieutenant is dead." Byakuya still looks reluctant. Ichigo gives him a gentle nudge in the direction he'd come from. Finally, Byakuya leaves. Ichigo turns back to Renji's fight, blade drawn, and waits to see if Renji is going to need an intervention. Renji pushes her back. And shouts her name.

"Rukia, I know you're in there! You can fight it! I did, and so can you!" he yells at her. And he continues trying to talk to her. But it's exhausting him. His footing slips as Rukia throws herself against him, and the she swings her blade for the kill. Ichigo blocks her blade, and allows Renji time to get back up.

Rukia watched in horror as she went for the kill. She shouted in victory when Ichigo blocked her. He was such an idiot. He wasn't supposed to be here, he could get infected too. She felt her body leaping away from the duo. Felt her left hand release the hilt of her blade, and slice her palm. She felt her goal shift. 'Infect him' Shirayuki told her. She staggered forward, palm bleeding. Outstretched toward Ichigo. No. she told herself. I've had it with this. I'm not going to hurt my friends. 'You don't have a choice' Shirayuki told her. It's MY body! Rukia screamed in her mind. Renji stepped forward and grabbed her bleeding wrist. Rukia heard a ripping sound. While her body was focusing on infecting Ichigo, Renji was in range of her blade, trying to close the deep cut on her hand. That was her Renji though. Thinking only of her, even when she could feel her goal shifting back into killing him. Even as she was bringing her blade up and he was tying off the makeshift bandage made from a section of his Shihakusho. Even as she was bringing the blade down. NO! She shouted. She threw everything in her being away from Renji. And finally, her body listened. She collapsed on the ground, Shirayuki tossed to the ground. Renji's eyes we widened, he'd finally noticed that she'd been about to kill him. He fell to his knees beside her, and grabbed her, pulling her against him. She felt the tears dripping onto her clothing and neck, as he buried his face there. She wrapped her arms around him. "Its ok, Renji, I'm me again. I love you Renji, I'm so sorry." She clenched her fists in his Shihakusho. She saw Ichigo approaching them, and released Renji. He kept hold of her, although his did allow her to shift in his lap til her back was against his chest. He didn't want to let go of her, and honestly she didn't want him to. "Ichigo you idiot you aren't supposed to be here!" she yelled at him now that she could. He looked a little ashamed. "The point of keeping you out was so that if one of the Captains got infected you could take over you moron! And now look at you, risking yourself! You idiot!" she shouted again. She was smiling though. Happy that she could even just tell him that. "And let me guess, you brought Orihime-chan! If something happens to her, who's going to keep the hybrids in line! Did you think of that?" Ichigo just laughed, crouching down and mussing her hair. She slapped his hand away.

"What can't you just thank me for stopping you from killing this red haired idiot?" he asked. He finally seemed to notice the position they were in. "Well, I'm gonna leave you guys now... go find Byakuya or something. While you guys talk or whatever." he said. He backed away, and flashed off in Byakuya's direction. Renji grabbed Rukia's face and turned her to face him. Their lips met, and after a few minutes, they pulled away. They stood, dusting off their clothing, and walked in the direction Ichigo had left in.

Unohana helped Kenpachi out of Minazuki. While their conditions were much improved, Kenpachi was still in bad shape. Minazuki had flown them back to fourth, and some of her squad members were waiting with arms full of med-kits and the like. There were two mats laid on the ground for them. Unohana gladly laid Kenpachi gently on the first one, and sat herself down on the second. After their wounds were cleaned and bandaged, she touched the shoulder of the nearest squad member. "I need you to prep the nearest exam room. Also, if you would bring a litter to carry Kenpachi-san, I would really appreciate it." she smiled kindly at the squad member, who scurried off to do as she asked.

"I don't need to be carried, woman." Kenpachi said, sitting up to the dismay of the now frightened Shinigami around him. The clean bandages slowly started to turn red.

"Nonsense, I won't take no for an answer," she replied. The comment was delivered with a smile. But the tone of her voice was scary as hell to the Shinigami still around them. Kenpachi opened his mouth, then closed it. This shocked the other members of the 4th squad. Kenpachi actually backed down from their kindly Captain. What the heck had happened out there? The Shinigami who'd run off came back, with two others, and carrying the litter she'd requested. Kenpachi huffed in annoyance, and scooted onto it. While Unohana stood, and followed, about 7 people carried Kenpachi to the exam room. He was set down on the table. "Don't move," Unohana warned Kenpachi with another smile. Green energy enveloped her hand, and she laid it upon his forehead. Alarm crossed her features. "Bring me one of the imaging devices!" she called out. It arrived moments later. After a few whirs and clicks, there were images of Kenpachi's brain being held against a lightboard.

"What is it Captain?" one of the squad asked. Unohana was shaking her head at the image.

"Its a lesion," she whispered. She pointed it out to the members. "There is something in their brains, eating away at the part of their minds where the Zanpakuto souls reside. This isn't a sickness at all."

And chapter end. :)